Sightings
Beautiful pair of Wood Ducks just east of Bridgenorth
I saw and photographed a pair of Wood Ducks on the 7th line of Selwyn Township on Saturday morning, April 25. Jeff Keller
Sightings
Moorhen – a common but little-known species in the Kawarthas
Yesterday, in the Bridgenorth and Young’s Point area, I was able to get some pictures of a Porcupine, Common Moorhen and Greater Yellowlegs. Jeff Keller
Sightings
Recent sightings from Young’s Point and Jack Lake
On April 17, at 5:30 PM, there were a pair of Ospreys on the nesting platform on the Highway 28 bridge at Young’s Point. On the 18th, I saw the following species throughout the day from dock on Brooks Bay at Jack Lake (south of Apsley). 1 pair of Common Read more…
Sightings
More spring arrivals
Today, I saw 3 Caspian Terns at bridge on Nassau Mills Rd. near Trent U. Also, an adult Common Loon on Otonabee. 7 Greater Yellowlegs were along creek with 40 Canada geese on Douro 8th Line. Dave Milsom, Peterborough
Sightings
Sandhill Cranes have returned to field north of Buckhorn
A pair of Sandhill Cranes were seen yesterday on the west side of County Road 507, just south of Charlie Allen Road. They have been present in this area for several years. I still have a pair of Gray Jays that are coming to my feeder as well. I am Read more…
Sightings
The unmistakeable call of the American Bittern
We heard (but didn’t see) an American Bittern calling from the reed island in the Indian River at the 3rd Line bridge on Saturday, April 18th, at about 7 pm. Jane Bremner
Sightings
Nice shots of Northern Harrier and Barred Owl
Here some pictures of my weekend sightings of a Northern Harrier in the area of Hwy 28 and Division Rd and a Barred Owl along 15th Line of Smith and North School Rd. Nima Taghaboni
Sightings
More arrivals every day
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) (1) – Reported Apr 15, 2015 14:00 by Basil Conlin – Peterborough–Jackson Park, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “hunting near waters edge amongst broad leaf cattails.” Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) (1) – Reported Apr 17, 2015 11:50 by Travis Cameron – KHSSP – Read more…
Sightings
Red-necked Grebe at Little Lake
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) (1) – Reported Apr 17, 2015 12:05 by Matthew Garvin – PTBO – Edgewater road and Railway, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Swimming out in Little Lake towards the cemetery. In Silhouette and distant…but profile was Red Necked Grebe. Long neck, long bill, Read more…
Columns
Why we watch our wild neighbours and what it says about our connection with nature (by Dr. Lisa Nisbet, Trent University)
The snow has finally gone, the days are noticeably longer, and spring is finally in the air. At this time of year, there’s an urge to organize and clean house. Maybe the snow melt has revealed a pile of unsightly garbage around the yard. Perhaps there’s a frenzied effort to Read more…
Sightings
Rails are back at Loggerhead Marsh in west end Peterborough
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) (1) – Reported Apr 15, 2015 18:38 by Paul Frost – Peterborough–Loggerhead Marsh, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Responded to playback with call in cattail marsh” Sora (Porzana carolina) (1) – Reported Apr 15, 2015 18:38 by Paul Frost – Peterborough–Loggerhead Marsh, Peterborough, Read more…
Sightings
Two locally rare Greater White-fronted Geese!
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) (1) – Reported Apr 13, 2015 09:34 by Daniel Williams – CA-ON-Norwood-332-480 Douro Eighth Line, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “Continuing bird. Orange bill, gray body, white line on side. Mixed in with CANG.” Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) (1) – Reported Read more…
Sightings
Dates for “First of Year” sightings for Tony Bigg
The following are my Peterborough County “First of year” sightings this month: April 3 – Pair of Eastern Phoebes calling continuously, Brown Creeper, on Tates Rd Wilson’s Snipe calling at the north end of Northey’s Rd at 14th Line of Smith. April 4 – River Otter at north end of Read more…
Sightings
Trumpeter Swans on Chemong Lake and on Otonabee River
We have had this fellow on our shoreline most of this morning (Sun. Apr. 12). First time for us seeing a Trumpeter Swan on Chemong Lake (Fife’s Bay). Nancy Cafik, Fife’s Bay Four were observed on the Otonabee River above lock 23 April 12. Bill Snowden, Ennismore
Sightings
More sightings
Osprey pair were observed at the nest site at Herrington Line and Emerald Isle Road this morning. No photo…pouring rain. Bill Snowden, Ennismore Thought you might be interested but the other day a couple of birders spotted a pair of “Merlins” in the tree in front of our place. Their Read more…
Sightings
Salamanders on Birchview Road near Young’s Point
On the evening of April 2, with the warm wet rain, I went searching for salamanders on Birchview Road, north of Lakefield. Unfortunately there was a lot of thick fog and I could only see the road surface in a few areas. However I did find one Spotted Salamander and Read more…
Sightings
Sandhill Cranes are back!
This morning (April 7) there were two Sandhill Cranes on a corn field off of North School Rd. Also, I finally caught site of a Barred Owl fter all the sightings that have occurred in the Kawarthas this past winter. It was perched by the ditch on the corner of Read more…
Sightings
Honey Bees gathering bits of seed at feeder
On April 3 in our birdfeeder, something was buzzing. There must have been at least 100 Honey Bees on the seeds! Nice weather brought them to it I guess. Sandy Reid N.B. I did a bit of research to find out what’s happening here: “”When honey bees begin to rear Read more…
Sightings
Ravens nesting in silo near Omemee
I thought you would be interested to know that I have Common Ravens nesting in my silo. I first saw them carrying large sticks up into the silo in early March. Scott Sargent, Omemee (Note: Ravens have expanded their range south of the Canadian Shield in the past decade. They Read more…
Sightings
OFO outing tallies 61 species on Easter Sunday
Only 11 birders attended this Easter Sunday Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) outing but were rewarded with some very good sightings. 61 species included several highlights : 5 Merlins : 4 at Young’s Point including a mated pair sitting next to their nest; 4 Kestrels ; Osprey at Lakefield; one Bald Read more…
Sightings
Spring breaking out all over!
Our Warsaw area wildlife sightings continue to grow. We have never seen this abundance and variety in such a short space of time on our stretch of the Indian River. In addition to the resident pair of Canada Geese that arrived on March 25th, the three pairs of Hooded Mergansers Read more…
Sightings
Bohemian Waxwings in Cavan
There was a group of about 10 Bohemian Waxwings feeding over Cavan Creek below my yard this morning. They were spread out amongst the tree tops and flying out to catch flying insects. Scott McKinlay, Cavan
Sightings
Signs of spring in the garden
Some signs of spring: snowdrops poking through snow and Japanese witch-hazel commencing bloom (flowers not fully expanded) Bill Snowden, Ennismore
Sightings
Some March sightings of note
March 31 – Checking out the Otonabee River yesterday I saw three Cackling Geese swimming together with the many Canada Geese near the bus barns. The Snow Goose was not there but I found it later in a cornfield on Douro 8th Line. As I approached the large number of Read more…
Sightings
A new look to Don McLeod’s great nature blog
Brutally cold weather and/or snow has really impacted tracking, so I have taken the time over the past few weeks to revise my website, Don McLeod’s Nature Blog. Using the “Keyword Galleries” will help to view tracks for individual species. Don McLeod Muskrat Trail along shore of Chemong Lake Read more…
Sightings
Another Eastern Screech-owl drops by local feeder
This little fellow, an Eastern Screech-owl, perched on our suet chunk between 4:30 and 5:30 yesterday afternoon (Feb. 24). We thought maybe he just wanted to get out of the wind as we didn’t see him pecking at the suet, unless he was attracted by the many small birds in Read more…
Sightings
What Birds Are Nesting Now? Part One
Well, it is currently minus 23 with a minus 37 windchill outside, as I write this. Nesting season may be the farthest thing from your mind. Afterall, we still have about 50 cms of snow in the bush, daylight is still at only about eleven hours in length, and did Read more…
Sightings
Eastern Screech-owl drops by backyard feeder in Peterborough
Last night I turned on the deck light and was just about to go out to fill the heated birdbath when just 6 feet away from me, I spotted an Eastern Screech-owl on the lowest branch of the spruce that grows beside the deck. It was up against the trunk Read more…
Sightings
With Great Lakes now largely frozen, overwintering ducks and grebes appear to be moving inland to find open water
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) (1) – Reported Feb 20, 2015 15:21 by Luke Berg – Otonabee River b/w Peterborough and Lakefield, Peterborough, Ontario – Map: – Checklist: – Comments: “New arrival, but not unexpected, with the freezing up of many water bodies. Female just south of Lakefield.” Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps Read more…
Sightings
White-throated Sparrow takes a pass on migrating south
A White-throated Sparrow has been coming to the feeders each day since December. Looks mighty cold some days and at present is favouring one foot. Seems to be traveling alone but some days feeds either with the Common Redpolls, American Tree Sparrows or the Dark-eyed Juncos. Bill Snowden, Ennismore